


Come To My Window

by falicemood



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, FP Wants His Girlfriend Back, Fluff and Angst, Fred Ships Falice, High School, Pre-Canon, Riverparents, Teen Angst, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Romance, Teenagers, The Fred FP And Alice Trio We All Need, What Happened After Homecoming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-23 07:43:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14930081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/falicemood/pseuds/falicemood
Summary: Alice Smith disappears from Riverdale after the night of the Homecoming, FP Jones is determined to find her and win her back, and Fred Andrews is caught between his two best friends.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy! If you want to see more of my content, follow me on instagram @falicemood :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It won’t be nine months. It’ll only be five. I...I’m already four months along.” Alice separated herself from Fred again as he came to the realization of what exactly she was saying.
> 
> “Alice...you and Hal have only been dating for three months.” She nodded at his words, not being able to bring herself to speak the truth. “It’s not Hal’s.” Fred suddenly felt the nausea from the night’s earlier events rush back to his head. “You’re pregnant with FP’s baby.”

It had been the night that all Riverdale High students most anticipated; hours of dancing, singing, and spiking the punch bowl followed by the annual Thornhill pool party and fleeting teenage romances. Homecoming had become a Riverdale tradition, allowing the entire student body to come together and celebrate the start of a new school year.

However, as the clock crept towards 3 a.m. the town’s teenage population slowly retreated to their own homes, including Fred Andrews. Hermione had begged him to stay after he walked her home, but with thoughts of Mary still lingering in his head and the strong smell of alcohol on Hermione’s breath, he assured her that it would be best if they both got some rest and talked in the morning.

After losing the title of Homecoming Queen to Southsider Alice Smith, Hermione had taken it upon herself to outdrink the entire football team. Fred, on the other hand, decided to take it easy after the dance, as his mind was already swimming with worried thoughts about his two best friends. After being crowned Homecoming Queen, Alice had wordlessly exited the school gym with Hal desperately chasing at her heel. The other member of their trio, FP Jones, had been just as moody as Alice and also left the dance prematurely once the Fred Heads finished their set.

Fred was still adjusting to Alice and FP’s post-break up dynamic; they had split up over the summer after Alice decided to pursue a relationship with Hal Cooper instead. Since then Alice had made herself more distant from the two boys than ever before, and while FP still hung out with Fred every day, it was clear that his thoughts were elsewhere.

Which is why the last thing Fred expected to see in his bedroom was a sobbing Alice Smith.

“Al?” he questioned, startled and not entirely sure that the image of the girl wasn’t some alcohol-induced fever dream. But the way that she looked up with tears in her eyes sobered him immediately. “What’s wrong? How did you get in my house?”

Even in her current state she managed an eye roll and a sarcastic comeback. “Please Fred, we’ve been sneaking into your house since the seventh grade, if you really wanted to keep me out you should lock your window.” He noticed that she avoided his first question.

He moved to where she was seated on his bed and placed a gentle hand on her back, the act of kindness causing her eyes to water again. “Seriously Alice, what are you doing here?” He hadn’t seen her this emotional since the break up, and even then she didn’t cry. Alice Smith never cried. Fred’s mind went straight to the worst. “Did Hal hurt you? Because I swear Al, me and FP will-”

“It’s not about Hal,” she said, sniffling and trying to compose herself. “It’s about me. I have to…” She closed her eyes and brought her fingers to her temple, trying to work up the courage to finish her sentence. Fred waited patiently for his friend. “Look, you have to swear to me that you won’t tell anyone. Not Mary or Hermione, not your parents, and especially not FP, okay? Do you swear?”

“I swear,” Fred complied.

“I have to go away for awhile.” She spoke quietly and with a blank expression on her face, not looking at him directly.

Fred, meanwhile, was taken aback. “Go away? What does that even mean? Where are you going? And why?” He moved his hand from her back to around her shoulders, pulling his best friend into a hug. He could feel her start to cry again in his arms, but she continued to speak.

“I-I can’t tell you why. Or where. I’m sorry Fred but I have to, I don’t - I don’t have a choice. I j-just wanted to say goodbye.” Alice pulled out of his embrace to look him in the eyes. “Please don’t come looking for me, and please, please don’t let FP try to find me.” She managed to get out the last few words before falling silent, letting the tears stream down her cheeks, the last of her Homecoming makeup washing away.

“Alice, I’m sorry, but I can’t in good conscience let you leave without knowing what you’re up to. I know you better than anyone so I know how prone you are to getting yourself into danger, and I know because me and FP are usually dragged into it. But Al, I’m telling you, as your best friends we are more than willing to help you out of whatever trouble you’re in.” Fred easily spoke on FP’s behalf, but he was getting worried. Over the years Alice had approached him and FP with countless schemes that had put them on the wrong side of the law, but never had she attempted something alone.

“You can’t help me with this problem,” she said with a regretful tone of voice that did nothing to soothe his nerves.

“Tell me, Al, just tell me and we can figure something out, I promise-”

“I’m pregnant.” It was barely a whisper but he heard it loud and clear, the words echoed in his head. She's pregnant, she's pregnant, she's pregnant. Shit.

“Shit,” was all he could get out. Fred pulled Alice back into another hug as they sat on his bed and stared at his room for a few painful moments. The same room they had spent so much of their childhood in; Fred, FP, and Alice playing video games on Fred’s computer, doing each other’s homework, building forts out of pillows and blankets, weekend sleepovers at the Andrew’s when life on the Southside was getting rough. They had always been so happy and carefree when they were in this room. “Are you leaving to...to get an abortion?” Fred asked quietly.

“No. No, I’m going to have the baby. The Coopers, they’re sending me to some nun house where I’ll live until I-” she paused again to breathe, “until I give birth. And then they’ll arrange for a quiet adoption and I’ll come back like nothing ever happened.” She shook her head at the thought of it all.

“But Al, if you go away for nine months people are going to know something happened. Hell, you’re going to miss all of senior year. And what, Hal just gets to keep going to school, keep walking free like you aren’t pent up in some crazy house-”

“It won’t be nine months. It’ll only be five. I...I’m already four months along.” Alice separated herself from Fred again as he came to the realization of what exactly she was saying.

“Alice...you and Hal have only been dating for three months.” She nodded at his words, not being able to bring herself to speak the truth. “It’s not Hal’s.” Fred suddenly felt the nausea from the night’s earlier events rush back to his head. “You’re pregnant with FP’s baby.” He could see her crying again, and hell, he felt like crying too.

“You can’t tell him, Fred. You can’t tell anyone.” She pleaded through sobs, pulling at her hair with shaking hands. “If people at school ask where I am, tell them I had to go take care of my sick aunt. That’s what I told Hal to say, and I need you to back him up, you have to tell them that’s where I am,” she started rambling, Fred no longer understanding what she was saying over his own pounding headache.

“Does Hal know? That it’s not his?” Was all Fred asked, even though he could guess the answer on his own.

“No. I only told him I was pregnant tonight, before the dance. As soon as I said it he started yelling at me, and then FP of all people came into the gym to drop off your band equipment and saw us and tried to break up the fight. Me and Hal didn’t talk for the rest of the night, and after we were crowned king and queen I left. We went to his house and he told his parents, and that’s when they arranged for me to leave. I came here straight after because - well, because I didn’t know where else to go.” Her breathing slowed as she explained her situation to Fred, and all he could do was nod and try to push down his dozens of other questions. They sat in silence once more after she was done, both trying to wrap their brains around the situation.

“Alice,” Fred finally spoke, “I know this looks bad, but you don’t have to leave.” He reached across his twin sized bed to place his hand on top of hers, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “I know you still love FP, and I know he still loves you. If you would just talk to him, we both know he would help and support you as best as he can.” Fred was careful in speaking about his best friend’s feelings for one another, but their romance had been obvious for years, and he always knew they were right for each other.

“And what? Me and FP raise a baby together on the Southside? I dropout of high school, neither of us go to college, and we never get out of that damn trailer park? That’s not the life I want, Fred, and it’s certainly not the life I want for my family. Hal can give me something that FP never could. Security. A guarantee for a better life. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, and even though it seems like destiny doesn’t agree, I’m not going to let this get in the way.” Alice spoke with more than just sadness in her voice now, and he recognized the passionate look on her face. All Alice had ever wanted was a life outside of the Southside, she sure as hell deserved one, and Fred didn’t know if FP could provide her with that. He decided against arguing with her further, due to both his exhaustion and his familiarity with Alice Smith’s stubbornness.

“So, where does this sick aunt of yours live?” was all he asked, allowing Alice to smile for the first time during their entire conversation.

“I was thinking somewhere sunny, maybe California?” she joked, desperately needing a Fred Andrews distraction like this.

“You always did want to see the West Coast,” he replied. “Maybe I could come visit you out there sometime?”

Alice sighed at this, knowing full well that she wouldn’t be able to have any visitors other than Mrs. Cooper dropping off her weekly school assignments in order for her to graduate on time. “I don’t think so, Fred.” He nodded, understanding.

They spoke for a while longer, Alice inquiring about the events that unravelled after she left the dance and Fred trying and failing to explain his situation with Mary and Hermione, the two friends laughing at the typical teenage antics. She was going to miss this. She already missed FP, and she hated to lose her other best friend too. If she was telling the truth, she had been considering doing exactly what Fred had suggested for months; telling FP about the pregnancy and figuring out their future together. Alice still loved him, much more than she could ever love Hal, and she knew he loved her back. She had been having dreams each night of her and FP raising their baby, maybe even leaving the Southside and having more kids. But they were merely dreams, and she couldn’t shake the thought of them simply continuing the cycle of Southside low lifes. No, she wouldn’t have that, and she knew what she had to do.

So, as dawn approached, Alice slipped back out Fred’s bedroom window and walked alone to Sunnyside Trailer Park, finding serenity in watching Riverdale come alive and glisten in the sunlight rising above her. She would miss her town; North versus South battle aside, Riverdale was her home, and she had no idea where she was headed.

“I’m sorry, FP,” she whispered as she passed his trailer, allowing one last tear to fall before she stepped away. She hadn’t gotten any sleep in the past 24 hours, and Mrs. Cooper would be here soon to take her away. 

'What does it matter', she thought to herself, 'I’ll have plenty of time to rest over the next five months.

And when I get back, the old Alice Smith will be gone'.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FP put his head in his hand and rested his elbows on the desk connected to his seat, trying desperately to think of anything but Alice. But he knew he was doomed, Alice was all he’s thought about for years, and her running away certainly wasn’t doing anything to help that fact.

Alice skipped school all the time. FP knew this because most of the time she managed to convince him to skip with her. Whether she slipped out Riverdale High’s back doors after first period, climbed in through the supply closet window half way through the day, or just decided not to show up at all, Alice Smith was a pro when it came to ditching class.

So it was no surprise when she didn’t show up to school the Monday following Homecoming weekend. Especially considering her not so subtle exit from the dance after her big fight with Hal, but nobody knew about the later except for FP, who had caught their screaming match backstage in the auditorium before it escalated to violence. FP didn’t hesitate before shoving Hal away from Alice, but when he turned around to check on her she started screaming at him instead, telling him to stay out of it and mind his own business.

“Ali, I was just trying to help, did he hurt-”

“I told you don’t call me that anymore,” was all Alice said before running off, Hal shooting him a murderous look then chasing after her. Since Alice and FP’s break up a few weeks ago the pair had hardly talked, mostly communicating through Fred if they needed to. But she had made it clear that he was no longer allowed to refer to her by the childhood nickname he had used since the third grade. What she didn’t say was that it hurt too bad to hear him call her that when she was trying to pretend she didn’t love him anymore.

Tuesday came and left, and still there was no sign of Alice in the hallways. Must have been one hell of a fight, FP thought. But by Friday FP knew something was off. Sure, Alice didn’t mind skipping a few days here and there for a little fun, but unlike him, she still took school seriously. She was depending on her good grades to get her a full scholarship to college. Besides, Hal had been in school all week and he appeared to be unaffected by whatever went down between them.

FP also noticed that Fred was acting strange. Whenever FP tried to bring up the topic of Alice, Fred turned slightly pink and quickly changed the subject. He was hiding something, and FP was going to find out.

“Dude, just tell me already,” FP whined as they sat at the foot of Fred’s bed later Friday night, both sets of eyes glued to the computer screen in front of them.

“I already told you, I don’t know anything!” Fred lied. His voice always got all high pitched when he wasn’t telling the truth, and FP had picked up on this early into their friendship.

“And I already told you I don’t believe you, so spit it out.” FP rammed his shoulders into Fred’s, nearly knocking the boy off his own bed. Fred chuckled and pushed back, sending FP straight into the wall beside them.

“Violence will get you nowhere Forsythe, I’m a lover, not a fighter.” Fred stated, voice back to normal.

“Well what do you want me to do then, take you on a date to Pop’s and let you hold my hand? Will that get it out of you?” FP asked sarcastically, though Fred shrugged and made a face like he was considering it. “Come on, bro, for real. You know I’m going crazy over her. And if you don’t tell me where she is then I’m gonna march myself down the street and knock Hal Cooper’s teeth out of his skull.”

“Now, FP, what did I just tell you about violence?” Fred joked, but FP was in no laughing mood. Fred knew exactly how FP felt about Alice Smith and the lengths he would go to to make sure she was okay, which is why Fred was silently freaking out. He wanted to keep his promise to Alice, but he didn’t know how much longer he could fend FP off for. Certainly not for another five months. “Okay, okay fine,” Fred sighed. “To be completely honest I have no idea where she is, she didn’t tell me.” Fred admitted, but FP jumped at that.

“But she did tell you something, didn’t she?” FP was growing more anxious by the second.

“Yeah, FP, she told me to prevent this from happening. She doesn’t want you coming after her. She doesn’t want you.” Fred tried to be as harsh as he could, but it was killing him to see FP like this. Still, he knew keeping his promise to Alice was the right thing to do.

“Oh,” FP was taken aback. “Oh...okay.” That hurt. Bad. FP had remained hopeful that Alice’s fling with Hal was just temporary and that soon enough they’d be back together. Afterall, they hadn’t even been on bad terms when they broke up; there was no fight or build up to it, one day she just decided she was done. FP figured she needed to try out Northside life with the Cooper’s, and she would quickly realize that she was meant to be with him. But reality hit hard when Fred confirmed that she no longer wanted anything to do with him. “I have to go home, see you around Fred,” FP said suddenly as he stood up and gathered his belongings.

“FP, you don’t have to-”

“No, I do.” FP asserted as he headed towards the door. “Thanks for the info.”

“I’m sorry,” Fred let out in a whisper as the door closed behind FP. He flung himself back on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Oh Alice, what have you done, he wondered.

Little did he know that, miles away, Alice was thinking the same thing as she laid on her sorry excuse of a bed, hands folded over her stomach. She had spent a week in hell in the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, confined to her cubicle room for the majority of the time, only allowed outside in the garden for an hour each day. Not to mention the horrible blue and red outfit she was forced to wear that made her want to puke almost as much as the food did. Her life on the Southside had been far from elegant, but it seemed like paradise compared to this purgatory.

Worst of all, her dreams of FP persisted, and each morning she woke up feeling cold and alone, with nothing but the ghost of him lingering at her side.

~

FP kept his head down for most of the next week at school. Rumors about Alice had started circulating, the most prominent being that she snapped and went crazy after Homecoming, leading her to get sent away. Hal, worried about his own image of course, put the rumors to rest when he announced that Alice had simply left to take care of her sick aunt in California.

FP knew this was bullshit, Alice didn’t even have an aunt, but he tried his best to keep his nose out of it. ‘It’s what Alice wants’ is what he kept telling himself, despite the fact that it felt like a lie. Still, he couldn’t help but worry. Clearly Hal was lying to everybody about Alice’s whereabouts, but why? What was so bad about the truth that he had to hide it from everyone?

The biggest shock came when he overheard Fred telling Mary the same thing at lunch one day, that her aunt had nobody with her out on the West Coast and that Alice had volunteered to go nurse her back to health.

“Afternoon Freddie, Mary,” FP nodded at the two as he took the seat across the table from them. “So tell me Fred, what exactly did this poor aunt of hers come down with that left Alice with no choice but to leave?” Fred gave him a look that could kill. They hadn’t exactly been on good terms since the day in Fred’s room.

“You know, I’m not sure. She didn’t mention it.” Fred spoke through gritted teeth. He knew what FP was trying to do, trying to expose the lie Alice had asked him to spread.

“Hmm, interesting.” FP nodded in thought as he bit into an apple.

“Wait, FP, Alice didn’t tell you?” Mary asked, genuinely confused. She knew the two of them had broken up, but still, they had been best friends for nearly their whole lives. She figured Alice would have told FP like she had Fred.

“Nope. Must have slipped her mind, right Fred?” FP replied. Fred remained silent, and Mary looked between the boys growing even more confused. “Well, I’ll leave you two at it then, catch ya later,” and with that FP walked out of the cafeteria. Mary decided it would be best not to ask Fred any more questions.

As FP rounded the corner he ran into just the man he was looking for. “Hal Cooper! Hey there bud, how’s it going?” He swung an arm around Hal’s shoulder and flashed him his best fake smile.

“FP, it’s going a lot worse now that you’re here,” Hal answered, monotone. FP let out a forced laugh as he led Hal into the nearest empty classroom, shutting the door behind them.

“Well, Hal,” FP practically spit his name, “it’s going to get much, much worse if you don’t start talking. Where the hell is she?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Jones, she’s with her aunt. Though, it wouldn’t surprise me if she decided to leave just so she could get away from you.” Hal fired back.

“Oh shut up, we both know Alice doesn’t even have an aunt, you idiot. Or maybe you don’t know, after all, you’re not the one that’s known her for her entire life.”

“I don’t have time for this nonsense, FP, you’re not going to trap me in here and interrogate me about my own girlfriend. I have better things to do than entertain Southside scum,” Hal turned and headed towards the door.

“You know when you say that you’re insulting your own girlfriend too, dumbass.”

“No, I’m not. She’s not like you,” and with that he left.

FP sunk down into one of the nearby chairs, feeling defeated once again. Maybe Hal really didn’t know anything, that sack of meat has never been useful for anything. FP put his head in his hand and rested his elbows on the desk connected to his seat, trying desperately to think of anything but Alice. But he knew he was doomed, Alice was all he’s thought about for years, and her running away certainly wasn’t doing anything to help that fact.

“FP?” He lifted his head at the sound of Fred’s voice saying his name. The boy walked across the classroom to sit at the desk next to FP, and the two of them sat in silence for a few moments. “Look,” Fred started uneasily, “I don’t know where she is, but I’m pretty sure she’s safe. She wouldn’t go and put herself in danger like that.” FP almost laughed.

“Are you kidding? That’s exactly what she would do! That’s what she always does.” FP couldn’t believe Fred would even suggest that Alice wouldn’t get into trouble, as memories of their tyrades over the past few years flooding in.

“Maybe she has in the past, but FP, trust me, I don’t think she’s going to be doing that anymore.” Fred couldn’t tell him the reason why, but he hoped his assurance would at least provide some comfort for his friend.

“Do you think she’s changed for good?” FP asked, sounding a little hopeless. Fred got up from his desk to rest a comforting hand on FP’s shoulder.

“I do.” Fred was pretty sure that their trio’s days of wreaking havoc on Riverdale like they owned the place was over, and as much as it broke FP’s heart, he agreed.

~

After school FP made the long walk back to Sunnyside by himself, declining Fred’s offer of a ride in the Shaggin’ Wagon. He hoped the fresh air would clear his head, and to tell the truth, he did feel a bit better by the time he made it to the trailer park’s entrance.

Until he saw Alice’s mom sitting outside the Smith’s trailer.

Even though Alice and FP had been friends since childhood, living only a few yards apart from one another, their families had never been close. FP had a strained relationship with his dad, and his mom had left when he was little. Alice wasn’t much closer with her parents, and the two never found it particularly important to introduce their families to each other, not even when they started officially dating in high school.

Still, Alice’s mom had always been nice to him, had even allowed him to sleep on their couch when things got rough at home and Fred wasn’t around. He hoped she wasn’t aware of all the times he had snuck into her daughter’s bedroom.

“Hi, Mrs. Smith. How are you?” FP called out as he walked towards the woman, who was sitting in a lawn chair drinking a beer.

“Forsythe, good to see you. I’m just trying to enjoy these last few nice days before winter sets in,” she said as she took a swig of her drink. He decided to take a risk.

“Is, uh… is Alice home?” he asked hesitantly. He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but wanted to hear what she had to say. Instead, she laughed.

“No, no Alice hasn’t been around since she ran off with that new boyfriend of hers and his stuck up family.” Mrs. Smith waved her hand around as she spoke. “I always did like you better than him.”

“Wait, she’s with the Cooper’s?” FP was somewhat shocked. He had convinced himself that Hal was too ignorant to have any part in this, but maybe he was wrong.

“Yeah, she ran off with them early one morning a while back. Haven’t heard from her since.” She took another sip of her beer. “I’m sure she’s much happier with that pack of snobs.”

“Thanks Mrs. Smith, I’ll see you around.” He didn’t wait for her to respond before taking off in the direction of his own trailer, head spinning. Had the Coopers kidnapped her? Were they keeping her tied up in their basement, torturing her? He wasn’t going to sit around and wait to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, let me know how you like it! Also follow me on instagram @falicemood for more falice content :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I know where she is.” FP said as he stood on Fred’s front porch, Fred positioned in front of him in the open doorway. When FP announced this, Fred’s mouth fell as open as the door was.
> 
> “Wha-what are you talking about? You...you know?” Fred was stuttering, his eyes darting in every direction but FP’s. How did he find out? And why was he reacting so calmly?

“FP, what are you talking about? The Coopers did not kidnap Alice.”

“That’s what her mom said, Fred! She said one day they just came and took her away, and no one’s seen her since! Hal is making up lies about where she is and for some reason you’re backing him up, and now you have to tell me why.” FP had immediately gotten on his bike and raced to the Andrew’s house after his conversation with Mrs. Smith. She had practically admitted that the Coopers were responsible for Alice’s disappearance, after all.

“Yes, okay, I haven’t told you everything, but I’m doing it for your own good. She specifically asked me to keep you from doing this, don’t you want to respect her decision?” Fred hoped that would persuade FP to drop it. He was wrong.

“No! I don’t! I want to know where she is and that she’s safe!” Then, much quieter he added, “I want my girlfriend back.”

Fred let out a sigh. “She’s not your girlfriend anymore.” She’s not his girlfriend, but she’s pregnant with his baby. This was getting to be too much for Fred to handle. “Alright, I’ll tell you what I know.” FP perked up slightly. “Alice came here after Homecoming to tell me she was leaving, that she had to leave. She didn’t say why or to where, but she said she was safe and that it was what she wanted. But that’s it, that’s all I know. She wanted me to make sure people believed the sick aunt story and that you weren’t going to lose your mind over it, but clearly I haven’t handled that part well.” Fred decided against telling FP the biggest part of the story and hoped that this much would tide him over.

“So...she’s really okay?” FP didn’t sound entirely convinced, but Fred was hoping that if he made it seem like he honestly believed what Alice told him, then FP would too.

“Yeah, that’s what she said. So I think you should take it down a notch and try to move on.” Fred was relieved that FP seemed to be understanding. “Now, can we order a pizza? I’m starving and my mom’s working late.” This earned him a laugh from FP; finally he was lightening up after nearly two weeks.

“Sure, Andrews, but you’re paying.” FP didn’t believe Fred for a second, but it had become evident that Fred wasn’t going to crack, and that FP was on his own. He might as well get some free pizza out of it.

~

Alice had been trapped in the Sisters of Quiet Mercy for nearly three weeks. It wasn’t getting any better, but hell, she was pretty certain it couldn’t get any worse. She had grown accustomed to her dull daily routine; wake up, eat breakfast, sit in her room, eat lunch, sit in her room, visit the garden, go back to her room, eat dinner, then go to sleep just to wake up and start all over again. She avoided the corporal punishment at all costs, which was difficult considering her rebellious past. But, if she was telling the truth, the scariest part of living with the Sister’s was the very thing that kept her motivated to get up each day; the thought of her baby. She hated to admit it, but she could feel herself growing closer to the little being inside her. She wanted to hold it, to hug it and tell her she loves it. She didn’t even know the gender, yet she felt like she knew the baby, her baby. Her and FP’s baby. She wondered what he was doing, and for his sake, she hoped he was faring better than she was.

He wasn’t. FP had barely slept since Alice left, but for the past few nights he was doing more than just pacing in his bedroom. He had developed a plan to figure out just what it was the Cooper’s were hiding, and it involved watching their house at all hours. He knew exactly when Hal left for school each morning, when his parents left for work, and when they all returned home. The information cost him a few night’s sleep and a handful of absences from school, but it was worth it to know the prime time to break into the Cooper household. He figured he had about three hours, which would be plenty of time to find Alice if she was being locked up in some dark corner.

On Friday morning FP made his way to the Cooper’s house just in time to watch them all leave. He walked swiftly across the street, not wanting to be caught by any suspicious neighbors, and lifted the welcome mat to reveal the spare key he had watched Hal use multiple times. With one last glance over his shoulder he turned the key in the lock and entered the house of horrors.

It looked surprising pleasant on the inside. Not that he had expected Alice to be in a giant metal cage in their living room, but he was hoping to find some sort of clues. Instead, he found a perfectly normal interior to an upper-middle class household.

FP made his way up the staircase, careful not to breathe too loudly even though he knew he was alone. He called out her name softly in each room he entered, but never got a response. Eventually he made his way back to the main floor of the house, ready to give up until he noticed a small piece of paper on the otherwise empty kitchen counters. As he walked closer he could see it was a check for $650 made out to “The Sisters of Quiet Mercy”.

Satisfied with this new lead, FP left the Cooper house, placing the key back under the mat where he found it before retreating to his hideout spot behind a large tree on the other side of the street. About 30 minutes later Hal returned from school, but not in his own car like he usually did. Instead, his mother was driving him, which was also strange considering she wasn’t due to be home from work for another two hours. FP watched the two get out of the car and walk to the front door, Hal handing his mother a folder full of papers on the way.

“Are you sure this is everything? You forgot her math assignments last week.” Mrs. Cooper spoke coldly to her son, who rolled his eyes in response.

“I told you, that wasn’t my fault. But yes, this is everything, I double checked with all of her teachers.”

“Good. After this whole mess, Alice can’t afford to fall behind with her school work.”

FP could feel his heart in his throat and his stomach in his feet. He had just overheard Hal and his mom confirm that they knew where Alice was. With his heart racing a hundred miles a minute he almost didn’t notice Mrs. Cooper emerge from her house and get back into her car, this time holding both the folder and the check that had been on the kitchen counter. She was bringing Alice her homework, and she was going to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, wherever the hell that was.

~

“FP? Where have you been, you’ve barely come to school all week and you haven’t returned my calls-”

“I know where she is.” FP said as he stood on Fred’s front porch, Fred positioned in front of him in the open doorway. When FP announced this, Fred’s mouth fell as open as the door was.

“Wha-what are you talking about? You...you know?” Fred was stuttering, his eyes darting in every direction but FP’s. How did he find out? And why was he reacting so calmly?

“I broke into the Cooper’s house and-”

“You what?”

“Just listen. I broke into the Cooper’s house and I didn’t find her, but I found a hefty check made out to some place called The Sisters of Quiet Mercy. Later I heard Hal and his mom talking about bringing Alice her work from school, and then Mrs. Cooper drove off with a folder of papers and the check. Fred, we have to go to this Quiet Mercy place, it has to be where they’re hiding her.” FP was practically jumping up and down as he spoke, excited and antsy to set her free. He could already envision it: him breaking Alice out of whatever looney bin the Cooper’s sent her to, her giving him a big kiss, and them beating Hal to a pulp together.

Fred, on the other hand, was silent. He pulled his best friend into the house and closed the door behind them, then headed upstairs to his bedroom.

“Okay, so I have a plan. I think they must bring her homework at the end of every week, so all we have to do is follow Mrs. Cooper there next Friday and figure out a way to break in, which has never been too hard for us, am I right?” FP playfully punched Fred’s shoulder, but the other boy still didn’t respond. “Come on man, say something. Aren’t you excited? We’re gonna get her back-”

“You don’t know why they sent her there, do you?” Fred finally answered. Now that FP knew where Alice was, there was no stopping him from going, whether Fred went with him or not. And if FP did manage to sneak into this place, there would be no hiding Alice’s current state. Fred figured it would be better if he knew beforehand. ‘I’m sorry Alice’, he thought.

“Probably because they’re crazy, and they’re trying to brainwash her to be just like them! But quite frankly, Fred, I don’t care why she’s there, all I care about is-”

“She’s pregnant, FP.”

“Yeah, sure. So am I. But seriously Fred, are you with me or not?” FP laughed at what he thought was another one of Fred’s desperate attempts to convince him to abandon Alice.

Fred stood in front of FP, his face deadpan, and placed his hands on both of FP’s shoulders, gently pushing him to sit on Fred’s bed. “Alice went away because she’s pregnant.” This time he caught a flash of fear cross FP’s face before he composed himself again.

“I know you’re lying. She would never sleep with that boring prick, there’s no way he could knock her up. So stop trying to scare me out of going to her.” FP was not going to fall for his tricks.

“Am I, FP? Am I really lying?” Fred asked with a steady voice. And that’s when it dawned on him. Fred’s voice hadn’t done that stupid, high-pitched thing it always does when he’s lying. He’d been stone cold serious the whole time. FP was glad Fred had made him sit, because he felt like he could pass out.

“Oh my god. Wha-Fred, what the hell? She’s-she’s what? How? And you knew this whole time?” FP’s breathing got heavier as he rambled on, eventually having to stop talking altogether due to his hyperventilating. Fred waited until his breathing returned to somewhat normal before speaking again.

“Yeah I...I knew. She told me the night of the dance, when she told me everything else.” Fred admitted, and FP was furious. This was the guy he called his best friend, and yet for weeks he had been hiding this huge secret about the only girl he’s ever loved. “But I swear to you, FP, that really is all I know. She didn’t tell me where she was going-”

“Save it, Fred. I’m done. With both of you.”

~

Alice was regretting her decision. All of her decisions. Allowing the Cooper’s to send her to the Sisters, telling Hal about the pregnancy, choosing him over FP in the first place. She truly thought she was doing the responsible thing, for once making the right choice. But she was desperately wrong, and now she would pay the consequences for the rest of her life. Her child would have to pay the consequences too, never getting to know his or her parents. She had a feeling it was a boy, and she would spend her empty hours daydreaming of what their son would look like and what they would name him. She certainly wouldn’t allow another child to be named Forsythe Pendleton Jones. She preferred something more traditional, but it didn’t matter now. She’d never have a chance to name him, or even to hold or look at him. And she doubted that she’d ever see FP again, either.

~

FP returned to school the following week, finding that the buzz about Alice had ceased only to be replaced with some new hot gossip that he didn’t care about. Since he found out the truth about Alice he didn’t seem to care about anything. All he felt was numb.

That is, until he saw Hal Cooper waltzing down the hallway with a smile on his face, talking to Mary and Sierra about some student council business. In a matter of seconds FP was on the other side of the hall, fists raised and mind filled with only one thought: it’s all Hal’s fault. His fault Alice got pregnant, his fault she got sent away, his fault her life will be ruined forever, his fault she’s not with him anymore. And for each crime Hal had committed against Alice, FP delivered a swift punch to his face.

The fight, or really, the attack, was brief. They happened to be located a few doors down from the principal’s office, so FP was torn away from a whimpering Hal before any real damage could be done. The boys were brought to the nurse first, FP for his bloody knuckles and Hal for his busted lip, and then ushered on to the principal for their sentence. Not a word was spoken between the two until they were left alone in the office’s waiting room, sitting ten feet apart from each other.

“I’ll kill you for what you did to her,” FP spoke through gritted teeth, staring directly into Hal’s eyes on the other side of the small room.

“What the hell are you talking about Jones?” Hal countered, not meeting FP’s glance. He was practically shaking in his seat.

FP rose from his chair, Hal still refusing to look at him but growing visibly more frightened and wondering whose idea it was to leave them alone together while waiting for the principal. “You know damn well what I’m talking about Cooper, you piece of trash. I know you knocked her up, and I know where you’re hiding her. She might be trapped under your spell, but I won’t hesitate to-”

“Oh, is that what’s got you so worked up Forsythe?” It was as if a switch had been flipped somewhere within Hal, and suddenly he spoke confidently and with a smirk on his face, rising to meet FP’s eyes for the first time. His newfound cocky attitude took FP aback. “This was all because you thought I got Alice pregnant?”

“Don’t try to fucking lie to me, I know everything.”

“Now, there’s no need to get defensive FP, you’re not wrong about her being pregnant. And you’re right, it was some low life scumbag who did it to her.” Hal took a few steps toward, leaving mere inches between himself and FP. “But it wasn’t me. No, pal, it seems that you’re the guilty one here. So congrats, you’re not only trash, but a dumbass.” Hal flashed FP a spiteful smile just as the door to the principal’s office opened and they were ushered inside. But FP didn’t comprehend a single word that was spoken at the meeting, not even the ones explaining that he was suspended for the rest of the week; all he could hear was white noise. Hal was right, he was a dumbass.

~

Talk about the fight had spread around school, and Fred wasn’t surprised. He also wasn’t surprised when he found FP sitting in his bedroom next to the open window when he got home later.

“Look, if you wanted to kill Hal, school probably wasn’t the best place to do it.” Fred joked lightly, shrugging his backpack off his shoulders and throwing it on his bed. But FP didn’t look up.

“Did you know the baby was mine?”

Now that, Fred did not expect to hear. He thought that he was the only one who knew the truth behind Alice’s pregnancy, but apparently Hal put two and two together when he found out just how far along Alice was.

“FP, I...I just wanted to protect you.” Fred tried to explain himself, but strangely FP didn’t seem mad.

“Now it’s my turn to protect her. I’m getting her out of there Fred, I’ve made up my mind. And you owe me big time for all this lying, so you’re gonna help me.” FP didn’t leave much room for Fred to argue, but even if he had, Fred would have agreed. He was done fighting and keeping secrets from his best friend.

“What’s the plan?” Fred sat next to FP and smiled.

FP smiled back. “So here’s what I was thinking…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! If you haven't already, follow me on instagram @falicemood :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Long, wavy blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and down her back, bright blue eyes shining up at him, soft pink lips parted in shock at seeing him there. The only difference was her middle, clearly carrying a child, his child, inside. He loved her even more for that.
> 
> “Honey, I’m home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an exciting chapter! Also I snuck in a quote from the show, comment if you notice it!

For the next four days FP was restless, spending most of his time either at Fred’s or out walking the streets trying to pass the time until Friday afternoon. That morning he woke up early with anticipation and decided he might as well go to the Andrew’s house and wait it out there. Fred’s parents would be at work, and they had cable tv and a full fridge. After hours of waiting and stress eating, the clock finally hit 2:30, and FP was outside waiting before Fred could even park his car.

“C’mon man, let’s go,” FP said as he climbed into the passenger seat of the Shaggin Wagon, trying to sound calm but failing to hide his nerves. He had spent a long time planning the first part of the plan, but there was no way of knowing what would would happen once they arrived at their destination.

Fred pulled out of his driveway and headed towards the Cooper’s house, which was only a few blocks away. The duo parked a few houses down and prepared for Mrs. Cooper to arrive with Hal. Luckily it wasn’t long before the mother and son made it home, and just as FP had seen them do them last week, the two walked into the house together before Mrs Cooper emerged alone a minute later, another check and Alice’s homework in hand. 

“Ready?” Fred asked, glancing over at FP while shifting the car into drive. They had no idea where the Sisters of Quiet Mercy was, but they were hoping Mrs. Cooper would lead them right to it, and that Alice would be there.

“Hell yeah. Let’s do this.”

~

It turned out that the Sisters of Quiet Mercy was about 45 minutes away, but it looked like it belonged in a different world. The tall brick building stood alone in the middle of the woods, large glass windows covering its exterior and a haunting stone statue in its entryway. 

“Don’t judge a home for troubled youths by its facade,” Fred mumbled as they pulled into the parking lot, making sure to keep their distance from Mrs. Cooper so they weren’t spotted. They watched her exit her car and walk through the front doors in silence, not sure what their next move should be. “Did you, uh, think about what you’d do once we got here?” Fred questioned.

“Not really, guess I’m gonna wing it,” FP shrugged said as he unbuckled his seatbelt.

“Look, not that I don’t trust your breaking and entering skills, but this place seems like the real deal. Be careful.” Fred was growing more uneasy the longer they sat there.

“Don’t worry Freddie, just keep the car nice and warm for me and Ali. If we’re not back in 30 minutes,” at that FP paused, not entirely sure of what Fred should do if FP were to get himself into trouble. “Well, if we’re not back by then, I guess you should start worrying.” With that he opened the car door and approached the entrance of the looming building before them.

“FP, I’ve been worrying for a month straight,” Fred spoke aloud, to himself.

~

The inside of the Sisters of Quiet Mercy was even more dull and eerie than the outside, if that was possible. A desk behind a window was right in front of FP when he walked through the doors, and there was nothing else but empty halls for miles on both sides.

“Can I help you?” asked a nun on the other side of the glass.

“Uh, yeah…” FP took a few steps closer, trying to think of an excuse for him to be there. “My name’s Hal Cooper. My mom is here visiting Alice Smith, where’s her room?” Never in his life did FP think he would need to impersonate Hal Cooper, but god did he hope it worked.

The nun seemed unsure of whether or not she believed him. “Mrs. Cooper doesn’t usually bring her son.”

“I know, but...but I forgot to give her Alice’s math assignments, so I came.” He was pretty proud of himself for thinking so quickly on his feet.

“Hm. Hallway to the right, room 219,” was all the nun said, eyeing him suspiciously. But he got the information he wanted, and that was good enough for him. FP took off down the long corridor, counting the room numbers in his head as he went. Alice’s was all the way at the end, and by the time he found it he was bouncing on his toes, anxious to finally see her. The past month had been the most amount of time they had ever spent apart since meeting each other as kids, and he could feel the void in his life without her by his side. Once he got her out of this place, he was never letting go of her again.

But he had to wait until Mrs. Cooper left her room before he could go in, and he had to remain unseen. He slipped into an adjacent hallway and peered around the corner to keep watch on her door. After what seemed like ages Mrs. Cooper left, walking right past FP and back towards the main desk. He wasted no time before running towards her door, taking a deep breath with his hand on the knob before turning it and pushing open the only thing that stood between him and Alice.

She was just as beautiful as he remembered. Long, wavy blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and down her back, bright blue eyes shining up at him, soft pink lips parted in shock at seeing him there. The only difference was her middle, clearly carrying a child, his child, inside. He loved her even more for that.

“Honey, I’m home.”

~

This is what she had wanted, wasn’t it? She had dreamed about it nearly every night in this place, FP storming in and taking her far away from here. Not that she needed him to rescue her; if she wanted to break out she could perfectly well do so on her own. No, it wasn’t about saving her, it was about validation that he wanted her, wanted to be with her. So this was quite literally her dream come true.

But at the same time, she was furious. First of all, how the hell did he find her? She was damn sure the Cooper’s didn’t tell him where she was, and other than them no one knew. Second, why did he think she wanted him here? She broke up with him months ago and had tried her best to distance herself, so why did he always feel the need to show up uninvited? 

She rose from the metal hospital bed, at first unsteady on her feet due to her disproportionate size, but growing more confident as the rage bubbled up inside her. She was ready to punch him in the face, to slap him senseless, to give him a piece of her mind. It took four, five short strides to come face to face with FP, and without thinking she raised her hands to-

-to cup his cheeks and crash her lips onto his. She kissed him like she was starving and he was the best thing she had ever tasted, and really, both were true. She had been deprived of any substantial human connection for a month now, but even worse, she had been deprived of him for much longer. And no matter how angry she was with FP, she always loved him more.

The kiss was brief, and she still lightly slapped his cheek once they broke apart, but he was holding her in his arms and smiling like a fool at her, leaving her no choice but to smile back.

“Miss me?” he asked with a giggle, and dear lord was she in love with this boy.

“How...how did you get in here?” was the first question that came to her mind, as she knew how strict security was here. He gave her a proud grin.

“Easy. I told the nun I was Hal and that Mrs. Cooper was my mom, and they let me right in.” He really had to pat himself on the back for coming up with that one in the heat of the moment. But, suddenly, the color drained from Alice’s face.

“You what?! FP, they’re going to say something to her when she leaves without her ‘son’! Oh my god, they’re going to be here any second looking for you.” Alice started pacing in panic. He had to admit, he did not think of that.

With perfect timing, they could hear the click of heels approaching the room, and FP’s heart began to race. He did not want to know what nuns did when they were angry, or Mrs. Cooper for that matter. He had to think quickly again, but boy did he know that was not his specialty, and he was already pushing his luck today.

“Get under the bed, now! Don’t you dare let them see you.” Alice nearly pushed him to the ground, and he didn’t hesitate to crawl under. Alice jumped back onto her bed and situated herself to look like she was doing her homework, just as she had been when Mrs. Cooper left a minute ago.

The door swung open with force, Mrs. Cooper glaring around the room with the nun from the front desk behind her. “Alice, has anybody come into your room since I left?” she asked, seemingly surprised at not finding anyone else in there.

Alice put on her best innocent face, which she had perfected while living with the Sisters. “No mam, I’ve just been doing my work,” she replied, and it took FP all he had to not burst out laughing at hearing Alice Smith call someone ‘mam’.

“Well, I think it might be best if we lock your door for the time being, just to be safe,” Mrs. Cooper said. Alice once again felt her heart begin to race. When they locked the doors, they used a special key that locked it from both the inside and outside, meaning that unless you had the key, you couldn’t get in or out. Meaning FP would be locked in her room with her.

“Okay Mrs. Cooper, sounds good,” she tried to say nonchalantly, looking down at her school assignments. Without another word the door was shut, and she could hear them lock it before leaving. She let out a shaky sigh; she’d experienced more drama in the past five minutes than she had in a month, and it was exhausting. “You can come out now.”

FP clumsily found his way out from underneath her bed, hitting his head while doing so. “Ow, shit,” he yelped, and she gave him a look for being so loud. “Sorry...and sorry about all that, too.” He moved to sit next to her on the bed, putting his arms around her, but she pulled away.

“FP, you can’t be here. Of course, now you’ve gotten yourself locked in my room, but-”

“Wait, what? How am I locked in?” he asked, confused.

“The lock system is all complex here because the nuns are paranoid we’re gonna get out.” She stood up, leaving him alone on the bed, and began pacing again. “So now you’re trapped in here and - and how the hell did you even get here in the first place? I know you didn’t ride your bike, and clearly the Coopers didn’t bring you. And-”

“Ali, slow down. One question at a time, please,” he interrupted before she could go off on a tangent. He could understand why she’d be a little frustrated, but she seemed so much happier when he first walked through the door. “I’ll explain everything later, but first I gotta get you out of here. Fred’s waiting outside with the car-”

“Fred is here?!” She raised her eyebrows and threw her hands in the air in annoyance. “Is he the one that told you about me? And what are you talking about, ‘get me out of here’? I’m not leaving, FP,” she spoke sternly.

FP was taken aback. “What-what do you mean? I came to take you home, Ali.”

She flinched at hearing the nickname again. “I made my decision. I chose to come here, and I’m staying until I have my baby.” She brought her hands to her stomach protectively, her motherly instincts alreading kicking in.

“Our baby, you mean.”

Oh. He knew.

“Alice,” FP’s voice was suddenly much more gentle, almost soothing. He stood up now too, placing his hands on her arms and looking down directly into her eyes. “I want to be with you. I want to raise this baby with you. I want you, and from the way you kissed me before, I know you want that too. So why won’t you let yourself have it?” He knew just the right things to say, and she could feel herself getting emotional.

“Believe me, you have no idea how badly I want that,” she spoke in a whisper, leaning forward to rest her head on his chest. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her. “But I’ve thought long and hard about it, and we can’t give this baby the life it deserves, FP. We’re two high school kids from the South Side, and I don’t want our baby to follow in our footsteps. They deserve better than that.” Tears were welling in her eyes as the reality of the situation was setting in. FP was here, practically begging her to run off with him and live their lives together. How could she say no to that? Maybe she had been wrong all this time, maybe life with the Coopers wasn’t the best thing for her or her baby.

“Ali,” FP interrupted her thoughts, whispering her name while wiping away a tear from her cheek. She had to admit, she missed hearing him call her that.

“Look, I need more time to think. I can’t just leave here with you right now anyway, they’ll know I’m gone and they’ll know where to find me. We need a better plan. But...but I’m not saying no to you, okay?” She was barely able to think clearly enough to speak, but he nodded like he understood. “I love you,” she let herself say, and she couldn’t help but smile as the words came out of her mouth. “I love you so much FP.”

“I love you too, Alice,” he kissed her, and she could feel his lips smiling back against hers. She let him pull her back to the small bed, the kiss never breaking. The stiff mattress was much less uncomfortable now that FP was lying on it underneath her, although it was difficult to position themselves properly at first due to Alice’s larger than normal stomach. The pair got carried away for a couple of minutes, but eventually Alice had to drag both of them back into to real world - the real world where FP was trapped in a nunnery.

“As much as I missed this,” Alice paused, allowing herself one more quick kiss before continuing, “we need to get you out of here.”

“Right. Got any ideas?” FP asked, but he could guess the answer.

Alice rolled her eyes playfully. “You really think I’ve been here for a month and don’t have at least twelve escape routes planned? You don’t know me at all, Forsythe,” she joked, reluctantly rising from the bed and gesturing for him to do the same. “Luckily I’m on the first floor, so you can go out the window as long as nobody sees you.” She expertly removed the glass frame from the window and placed it delicately on the ground next to them.

“I’m coming back for you, you know I’m not gonna leave you in here right?” FP wrapped her up in his arms once more, running his hands through her hair as she nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck. She simply nodded her head in response. He wasn’t sure he could make himself leave, but the thought of a gang of vicious nuns ultimately persuaded him to move. “I love you Ali.” He kissed her softly, leaving his lips lingering on hers for just a moment before disappearing out the window.

Alice laid back on her bed, head reeling from the events of the past half hour. She closed her eyes to think and fell asleep almost instantly, feeling a little less alone for the first time in months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FP and Alice are finally reunited! Hope you enjoyed this chapter :) As Skeet once said, there's "so much ahead for falice and I can't wait".


End file.
